Product Description

David Stifter's "Sengoidelc" (Shan-goy-delth) provides a comprehensive introduction to Old Irish grammar and metrics. Ideally suited for use as a course text and as a guide for the independent learner, this exhaustive handbook is also an invaluable reference work for students of Indo-European philology and historical linguistics. The author's step-by-step presentation in an engaging styles lead the novice through the idiosyncracies of the language, such as initial mutations and the double inflection of verbs. Filled with translation exercises based on selections from Old Irish texts, the book provides a practical introduction to the language and its rich history. "Sengoidelc" opens the door to the fascinating world of Old Irish literature, famous not only for such gems as the "Tain Bo Cuailgne" ("The Cattle Raid of Cuailgne") or the lyrical nature poetry but also as a major source for the political and legal history of Ireland.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #347662 in Books
• Published on: 2006-07-15
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 391 pages

Review
"A welcome and friendly guide to those who would like to know more about the language and literature of early medieval Ireland." - Joseph Nagy, author of Conversing with Angels and Ancients: Literary Myths of Medieval Ireland"

About the Author
David Stifter is a lecturer at the Institut fur Sprachwissenschaft at the University of Vienna and chair of the Austrian Society for Celtic Studies.

Customer Reviews

A good place to start....
I used this book to learn Old Irish during my last University term after David Stifter kindly agreed to let our lecturer have a wee advance copy and I have to say, this is an excellent book for the enthusiastic learner of the medieval languages. Stifter is excellent at breaking down the language into its most simple components and fully explaining all exceptions in his "Varia" sections. The book is a little "jumpy" with nouns and verbs all intermixed with little pieces of pronouns and prepositions thrown in in an apparently random order. It's not as random as it would seem and there is method in Stifter's apparent madness. And the lttle picture of the sheep, praising Bridget and urinating against stone cicles, make the book even more enjoyable. You'll just wonder what the little blighters will be doing next, but just so you know, Stifter didn't draw them himself. More's the pity really.